


Last Words

by nicorobean



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 21:20:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10625358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicorobean/pseuds/nicorobean
Summary: In which Luffy tells Sabo Ace's last words.





	

**Author's Note:**

> i used to be mutteringsandramblings but this is my new account. i'm just moving my works to this one

There are things Sabo doesn't know about Ace, and never will. The only memories he has of Ace are of the angry boy that liked to pick fights with bears and men bigger than him, he remembers Ace before Luffy, an Ace that had been hurt far too much and was already questioning his existence, he remembers Ace after Luffy. Luffy came into their lives and changed it, Sabo saw how Luffy changed Ace, Luffy had become their sun. But Sabo does not remember what Ace was like after his supposed death. He doesn't even know what Ace's last words were, or even if he had a chance to say them.

Ace was dead and never coming back, and Sabo would never know what Ace sounded like during his adult years, he would never know if his laugh was the same, or if he had become happier with his existence. He wouldn't ask Luffy, he couldn't, not if it would cause Luffy pain; no matter how much he ached to know the things he missed.

“Ace was happy.” Luffy said out of the blue. He was leaning against Sabo's chest, and Sabo jerked in surprise. They never really talked about Ace, whenever they would meet up they would talk about Luffy's adventures.

“He was?” Sabo asked, wanting Luffy to keep talking. He started to run his hands through Luffy's hair, and he held him closer. It was late and they were alone and on watch, if Luffy wanted to talk about Ace now he wouldn't stop him.

“After you left, things were hard, we didn't understand why you were gone; sometimes when I woke up I thought you would be there. I made Ace promise not to die, and he did; he told me he would never die.” Luffy replied. Sabo felt his heart break, no one could keep that promise, but he couldn't be angry at Ace. Luffy and Ace had been children and didn't understand that everyone died.

“I thought Ace would never die, I really did; he was so strong and I could never beat him. Ace changed, he took lessons from Makino on how to be polite because he wanted to thank Shanks for saving me. Shishishi, he was horrible at first.” Luffy laughed. Sabo found himself laughing too, Ace being polite was something he couldn't comprehend and it just added to the list of things he had missed.

“Ace? Polite? Are we talking about the same Ace?”

“Yeah! He changed, Sabo, a lot! Shishishi, I wish you could've seen it, Sabo.''

“....Me too, Luffy, I'm sorry.''

Luffy smacked him on the arm. “Don't apologize, it's not your fault. Did you know I saw Ace in Alabasta? I was really surprised, Sabo! And Ace was even stronger and made of fire, it was so awesome! My crew was surprised when they found out he was my brother, he told them to take care of me for him and he gave me a vivre card and left.” Luffy's smile dropped and Sabo held him tighter and told him if he didn't want to talk anymore that was okay but Lufy shook his head and continued on.

“I saw Blackbeard in Mock Town, I didn't know it was him...and then in Impel Down he told me that he wanted to go after me but Ace stopped him, he laughed about it. Ace was happy, you know? Really happy, he had lots of people that loved him and I know that made him happy. You know what he said before he died? He mentioned you.” Luffy said. Sabo froze, Ace had mentioned him? Luffy had pulled away from him and was looking at him and Sabo was startled to see tears forming in Luffy's eyes.

“H-He said if it weren't for you o-or a high maintenance little brother like me he wouldn't have wanted to live; he even mentioned D-Dadan told me to say hi if I ever saw her. He told me he didn't want fame or fortune he just wanted to know if it was good he was born; a-and then he couldn't talk loud enough so he told me to pass this along. He said thank you for loving me, that's what he said.” Luffy was crying now, and was obviously trying not to sob so he wouldn't wake up his crew. Sabo felt something wet dripping down his own face, realizing he was crying too. He wasted no time in gathering Luffy in his arms and holding him close. Luffy's hands shook as they gripped the back of his coat.

“I-I miss him, Sabo.”

Sabo's heart broke as Luffy sobbed into his chest, and he once again cursed the world that had taken Ace away from them. The unfairness of it all hit him again and so did the bitterness, his desire to change the world grew even stronger. He didn't want anymore people like Ace being killed purely for being born. But the weight on his shoulders was lifting away, he had spent two years agonizing on what Ace's last thoughts might've been and now he knew. Ace had been happy and had found people that loved him. Sabo knew that deep down that was what Ace wanted for people to accept and love him.

“I know, Luffy, I do too.” Sabo held Luffy tighter as if to protect him from the world that had taken Ace away. It was too late to protect Luffy from that, Luffy was a pirate and he would meet people that would spit and curse on Ace's existence but those that loved Ace, that knew the real Ace, would forever carry him in their hearts.


End file.
